Beach building apparatus



Aug. 23, 1966 s. A. MORSE BEACH BUILDING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 4, 1963 INVENTOR.

4 10a JOE United States Patent 3,267,679 BEACH BUILDING APPARATUS Etanley A. Morse, 167-3601 Sheifield, Hammond, Ind. Filed Oct. 4, 1963, Ser. No. 313,828 8 Claims. (Cl. 613) This invention relates generally to apparatus for building or otherwise causing the formation of a beach bordering a body of water through the action of the apparatus on the water and any particles carried thereby.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a novel apparatus for building or otherwise forming a beach onto land bordering a body of water by the effect of the apparatus on the water and any particles carried thereby.

It is a further object to provide a novel apparatus according to the preceding paragraph in which the effectiveness of the apparatus may be easily selectively varied to produce a desired beach building effect.

It is a further object to provide a novel apparatus according to the preceding paragraph in which the apparatus is not subject to sinking in relatively soft ground beneath a body of water.

It is still another object to provide a novel apparatus according to the preceding paragraphs in which the apparatus may be relatively easily manually portable to obviate the need for heavy equipment in the installation and assembly of the apparatus.

It is still another object to provide a novel apparatus according to the preceding paragraphs which is economical in construction and is efiicient in operation.

Other objects and features of the invention will be apparent upon a perusal of the following specification and drawing in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a beach building apparatus constructed according to the invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged elevational view of the center portion of the apparatus of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged plan view of one of the struts of the apparatus of FIGURE 1.

The present embodiment is the preferred embodiment, but it is to be understood that changes can be made in the present embodiment by one skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention Generally, the invention comprises two basic parts, one part being the center base member and the other part being a plurality of struts which are suitably assembled on the base member. The center base member comprises an inverted pan on the upper side of which cross braces are secured. A mast or rod is secured to the pan to upstand therefrom. Braces are secured between the various corners of the pan and the mast or rod intermediate the ends thereof to brace and secure the mast in a rigid upright position on the inverted pan. When the apparatus is to be assembled in a selected location for the building of a beach by the action of the apparatus on the water and any particles carried thereby, the base member is placed in an appropriate position at that location. The other part of the apparatus which comprises a plurality of struts is then manually applied to the base member. Each of the struts is provided with a loop at one end thereof, and the struts are generally longer in length than the height of the mast of the base member. Each of the struts is applied to the base member with the loop of each strut positioned to encircle the mast. The extending end of each strut is positioned to be inclined outwardly and downwardly from the mast. The various struts are so relatively positioned that the apparatus has the general configuration of a cone with a maze of struts within the cone. The number of struts used may be varied depending upon the condition of the water at which the beach is to be built. In order to reduce the number of struts in any one arrangement and still maintain the height of the cone, spacer members may be used on the mast between the loops of various struts. In one reduction to practice of the invention steel material was used in the construction of the different parts of the apparatus. The struts and the various bracing members were formed of what is commonly called angle iron. It is contemplated that other metals may be used in the construction of the apparatus. Although the construction of the invention may be made in sizes requiring the use of power equipment, the various parts inherently provide an apparatus which may in relatively small sizes be portable for easy manual placement and assembly of the invention for beach building purposes.

In the noted one reduction to practice the mast had a length of approximately 7 feet and each of the struts had an approximate length of 10 feet. In that reduction to practice of the invention it was found that the base member could be easily manually carried without the aid of power equipment to the water site at which beach building was desired, and the necessary number of struts were also easily manually carried and placed upon the base member. Disassembly and repositioning or removal of the apparatus may also be easily manually accom plished by virtue of the novel construction and arrangement of the invention. It was further discovered in the use of the invention in the noted reduction to practice that the apparatus and particularly the center base member was not subject to any appreciable sinking in the sand or ground upon which the apparatus was assembled in the water. It was further found that the present invention is extremely rugged and not subject to damage either in the carrying and placement of the various parts thereof or in the action of water and ice on the apparatus.

It should be noted that the present invention is not concerned with the science of determining the specific location of the apparatus for any particular water conditions of depth. current, direction, velocity, and quantity and type of water borne particles. It is contemplated that the present invention, by virtue of its construction, can be assembled and located to effectively and efficiently build a beach under a wide range of water conditions.

In detail, the center base member comprises an inverted pan 10 and a mast 11. The inverted pan 10 comprises a rectangular top Wall 10a having side walls depending therefrom. The upper surface of the pan 10 is reinforced by a pair of cross braces 12 and 13. The cross braces 12 and 13 may be formed of a material such as angle iron and may be secured to the upper surface of the pan 10 by any means such as welding. The cross brace 12 extends diagonally across the pan 10 from one corner to the opposite corner thereof. The cross brace 13 is formed in two sections abutting each side of the cross brace 12 and extending between the other two corners of the pan 10.

The mast 11 may be formed of a rod material and is considerably greater in length than the length and width dimensions of the pan 10. The mast 11 is positioned at the junction of the cross braces 12 and 13 substantially at the center of the upper surface of the pan 10 to upstand therefrom. The lower end of the mast 11 may be secured to the pan 1t and the cross braces 12 and 13 by welding. The mast 11 is further secured to rigidly upstand from the pan 10 by four braces 14. The braces 14 may be formed of a material such as angle iron, and each brace 14 is secured between one upper corner of the of the struts 15 by welding.

azezero pan 16 and the mast 11 intermediate the ends thereof. The braces 14 may conveniently have a length such that each brace 14 engages the mast 11 at a point positioned upwardly from the lower end of the mast ii a distance equal to substantially /3 of the length of the mast ill. The braces 14 may be secured to the mast it and to the cross braces 12 and 13 at the corners of the pan it) by Welding.

The invention further comprises a plurality of struts 15. The struts 15 may be formed of a material such as angle iron. One end of each of the struts 15 is provided with a loop 16. The loop 16 may be formed of a material such as steel reinforcing rods or a heavy wire of other materials, and each loop 16 may be secured to one end of one Each loop 16 is suthciently large to permit application of the loop 16 over the mast 11. Generally, each of the struts i is of a length greater than the length of the mast 11, however, it is contemplated that those struts, such as strut 17 in FIGURE 1, which are positioned with the loop 16 thereof substantially adjacent the upper end of the braces 14 may be of a length shorter than the length of the mast 11. The important consideration in the length of each strut 15 or 17 is that when the loop 1'6 of the strut is applied over the mast ii, the strut must be positioned to be inclined downwardly and out- Wardly of the pan to engage the ground upon which the pan 10 is placed. The invention does not require any specific number of struts 15, it merely being necessary that a sufiicient number of struts be provided to produce an effectively working beach building apparatus. In one reduction to practice of the invention struts were provided and proved effective. In an arrangement of the invention where it is desired to reduce the number of struts 15 defining a maze of struts within the cone configuration, a number of spacer members 18 may be used between the loops 16 of various struts 15. The spacer members 18 may be formed as cylindrical sleeves, the inner diameter of which are greater than the diameter of the mast 11.

In the use of the invention it is intended that the center base member be placed outwardly from the shore onto which it is desired to cause a beach to be built, and at an appropriate distance from the shoreline the center base member is installed with the mast ill in an upright position and with the pan ltl resting upon the ground beneath the Water. A plurality of struts 15 are then assembled onto the mast 11 with each loop 16 encircling the mast. The struts 15 are stacked and arranged about the base member in the general configuration of a cone with a maze of struts within the cone. tue of its position and arrangement will so affect the water in which it is placed that particles in the water will be deposited adjacent the shoreline to cause a gradual build up of a beach over a period of time. Should it be desired to remove or reposition the apparatus, it is apparent from the foregoing description that the apparatus may be easily disassembled and removed.

Having described the invention what is considered new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent is:

1. In a beach building apparatus, a center base member including a mast carried in an upright position, a plurality of struts each having a loop at one end thereof, each of said struts positioned with the loop thereof encircling said mast and extending from said mast in an outwardly and downwardly inclined direction, said plurality of struts further relatively positioned to define the general configuration of a cone with a maze of struts within said cone.

2. In a beach building apparatus, a center base member comprising a plate and a mast secured on said plate to upstand therefrom, a plurality of struts each having a loop at one end thereof, each of said struts positioned with the loop thereof encircling said mast and extending from said mast in a downwardly inclined direction out- The apparatus by virwardly of said rectangular plate, said plurality of struts further relatively positioned to define the general configuration of a cone with a maze of struts within said con 3. In a beach building apparatus as defined in claim 2, and a plurality of spacer members carried on said mast between selected loops of said st-ruts.

4. In a beach building apparatus, a center ,base member including a mast carried in an upright osition, said center base member being formed of a material and of a size to permit relatively easy carrying thereof by two persons, a plurality of struts each having a loop at one end thereof, said struts being formed of a material and of a size and weight to permit relatively easy carrying thereof by a person, each of said struts positioned with the loop thereof encircling said mast and extending from said mast in an outwardly and downwardly inclined di' reaction, said plurality of struts further being relatively positioned to define the general configuration of a cone with a maze of struts within the cone.

5. In a beach building apparatus, a center base member comprising an inverted pan having an upper surface and depending side walls encircling said upper surface, a mast securedto said upper surface to upstand therefrom, a plurality of struts each having a securing member at one end thereof, each of said struts positioned with the securing member thereof engaging said mast and extending from said mast in a downwardly inclined direction outwardly of said inverted pan, said plurality of struts further being relatively positioned to define the general configuration of a cone with a maze of struts within the cone.

6. In a beach building apparatus, a center base member comprising an inverted pan, a rod, a plurality of braces secured to said pan and cooperating with said rod to hold said rod in an upright position on said pan, a plurality of struts each having a loop at one end thereof, each of said struts positioned with the loop thereof encircling said rod and extending from said rod in a downwardly inclined direction outwardly of said pan, said plurality of struts further being positioned to define the general configuration of a cone with a maze of said struts within said cone.

7. In a beach building apparatus, a center base member comprising a substantially square inverted pan, 2. pair of cross braces welded to the upper surface of said pan between the opposite corners thereof, and a rod of a length substantially greater than the width of said pan, said rod being welded to the center of the upper surface of said pan in cooperation with said cross braces to upstand therefrom, four braces, each of said four braces welded between one of the upper corners of said pan and said rod at a point below the longitudinal center thereof, a plurality of struts each having a loop at one end thereof, each of said struts positioned with the loop thereof encircling said mast and extending from said mast in a downwardly inclined direction outwardly of said pan, said plurality of struts further being positioned to define the general configuration of a cone with a maze of said struts within said cone.

8. In a beach building apparatus as defined in claim 7, wherein each of said struts including the loop thereof is formed of a metal material, and a substantial number of said plurality of struts being greater in length than the length of said rod.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,389,513 8/1921 Kellner 6l3 FOREIGN PATENTS 2,757 1890 Great Britain.

EARL l. WITMER, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN A BEACH BUILDING APPARATUS, A CENTER BASE MEMBER INCLUDING A MAST CARRIED IN AN UPRIGHT POSITION, A PLURALITY OF STRUTS EACH HAVING A LOOP AT ONE END THEREOF, EACH OF SAID STRUTS POSITIONED WITH THE LOOP THEREOF ENCIRCLING SAID MAST AND EXTENDING FROM SAID MAST IN AN OUTWARDLY AND DOWNWARDLY INCLINED DIRECTION, SAID PLURALITY OF STRUTS FURTHER RELATIVELY POSITIONED TO DEFINE THE GENERAL CONFIGURATION OF A CONE WITH A MAZE OF STRUTS WITHIN SAID CONE. 